Sunderland enjoyed a fairly positive summer transfer window, despite a worrying start.
The Black Cats’ summer took a while to get going after fans were forced to wait months for Regis Le Bris’ appointment.
They brought in the likes of Simon Moore and Alan Browne early on, but most of the action came in the final weeks of the window.
While Sunderland snapped up the likes of Chris Mepham and Wilson Isidor, they also managed to keep hold of most of their prized assets.
Jack Clarke eventually got his move to the Premier League with Ipswich Town, but the likes of Jobe Bellingham, Chris Rigg and Dan Ballard all signed new contracts amid interest from the top flight.
Their star players did receive plenty of interest and they had to bat away a number of bids, though Patrick Roberts seemed to be the main name hitting the headlines in the week leading up to deadline day.
It was claimed that Luton Town were considering swooping for the winger, but Roberts remained a Sunderland player.
Former England striker Carlton Palmer has reflected on the Roberts interest and has admitted that the forward staying on Wearside has already been ‘so important’ to the club.
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Patrick Roberts has been ‘crucial’ in opening four matches
Speaking to Football League World, Palmer said: “Sunderland supporters were delighted to see that Patrick Roberts remained at the club.
“”He has been a crucial part of what Sunderland are about. “He’s a very important part of Sunderland and the football club. I am sure that they will be delighted that he has stayed at the football club. And also that he is playing as well as he is. He’s 27 now and really coming into his prime.
“I know that Sunderland use their model to bring young players in and move them on by getting good money for them. But you sometimes, like now, need to be kicking on.
“Sunderland are a massive club, and under Tony Mowbray they made the play-offs and lost to the eventual team that got promoted. But last season was disappointing with the managers they brought in and the hierarchy have had to look at it and re-thought their process.
“Obviously, as Mowbray said, it’s great to have young players, but you have to have the balance with senior players.
“It seems the new manager agrees and has brought them in. You look at what they are doing and playing free-flowing football and going out and attacking teams and scoring goals.
“Roberts has been a crucial part in the way they play under the new manager, with going and closing teams down quickly as well.
“It’s been so important that Sunderland were able to keep hold of Patrick Roberts.”
The Sunderland winger is so deserving of a goal
Roberts hasn’t scored since last year, but has picked up two assists in four matches and has looked a real threat on the right this season.
The 27-year-old’s form last term was a real concern as he didn’t have the quality performances that outweighed his lack of goals. However, he has looked much sharper and back to his normal self in Sunderland’s opening four games.
Given how good the Black Cats have looked going forward, Roberts is surely closing in on his first goal of the campaign and once he gets that, his confidence will grow and he will probably score a few more.
The attacker really needs to keep up his form this time because Ian Poveda’s return to fitness means he will be desperate to force his way into the starting line-up.
Sunderland’s squad is so much stronger this time round and it means underperforming players face dropping to the bench, while last season would often see them keep their place because of a lack of squad depth.